THE LEGEND of SANGKURIANG ( TANGKUBAN PERAHU )

(folklore from west java)

  One day, when he was hunting, Sangkuriang accidentally killed his beautiful black dog (Si
TUMANG). This dog is actually Sangkuriang's father who had been condemned to live the life of
a dog by his GURU. However, Sangkuriang never knew it.

Sangkuriang had been separated by his mother since childhood. Yet, he was destined to meet
his mother again. When on his way home, he stopped at a small village and met and fell in love
with a beautiful girl. He didn't realized that the village was his homeland nor that the beautiful
girl was his own sacred mother (remain young & pretty).
Their love grew naturally and one day, when they were discussing their wedding plans, Dayang
Sumbi suddenly realized that the profile of Sangkuriang's head matched that of her only son
who had left twenty years earlier. How could she marry her own son? But she did not wish to
disappoint him by cancelling the wedding. So, although she agreed to marry Sangkuriang, she
would do so only on the condition that he provide her with a lake and a boat with which they
could sail on the dawn of their wedding day.

Sangkuriang accepted this condition and built a lake by damming the Citarum river. With a
dawn just moment away and the boat almost complete, Dayang Sumbi realized that
Sangkuriang would fulfill the condition she had set. With a wave of her supernatural shawl, she
lit up the eastern horizon with flashes of light. Deceived by false dawn, the cock crowed and
farmers rose for the new day.
With his work not yet complete, Sangkurinag realised that his endeavor were lost. With all his
anger, he kicked the boat that he himself had built. The boat fell over and, in so doing become
the mountain TANGKUBAN PARAHU (in Sundanese, TANGKUBAN means upturned or upside
down, and PARAHU means boat). With the dam torn asunder, the water drained from the lake
becoming a wide plain and nowadays became a city called BANDUNG (from the word
BENDUNG, which means Dam)
 THE LEGEND of LORO JONGGRANG
Once upon a time, there was a kingdom named Prambanan. The people lived peacefully.
However, soon their happy lives were disturbed by Pengging Kingdom. The king, Bandung
Bondowoso, wanted to occupy Prambanan. He was a mean king.

The war between Prambanan a nd Pengging could not be avoided. Prambanan lost the war and
led by the new king, Bandung Bondowoso. Pengging could win the war because Bandung
Bondongwoso had a supernatural power. His soldiers were not only humans but also genies.
Those creatures always obeyed Bandung Bondowoso. They always did whatever Bandung
Bondowoso asked them to do.

The king of Prambanan had a beautiful daughter. Her name was Loro Jonggrang. Bandung
Bondowoso fell in love with her and wanted to marry her.

"If you want to marry me, you have to build a thousand of temples in just one night," said Loro
Jonggrang.

She hated Bandung Bondowoso because he made the people of Prambanan suffered.

"What? Impossible! You just gave me an excuse for not marrying me!" said Bandung Bondowoso.
But he did not give up. He asked the genies to help him. Then all those genies worked hard to
build the 1.000 temples. Meanwhile, Loro Jonggrang heard from the lady-inwaiting that the
building of 1.000 temples was almost finished. She was so scared; she did not want to marry
Bandung Bondowoso. And then she had a great idea. She asked all the ladies-inwaiting to help
her.

"Please prepare a lot of straw and mortar. Come on! Hurry up!" said Loro Jonggrang.

All those ladies-in-waiting were confused. They did not know why Loro Jonggrang asked them to
prepare a lot of straw and mortars in the middle of the night.

"Listen, all those genies are building the temples, right? We have to stop them by burning the straw and
make some noise by pounding the mortar. The genies will think that sun is going to rise and they will
run away. Genies are afraid of sunlight."

It worked! All those genies thought that sun rose. They did not know the light was from the fire
that burning the straw. And the noise from pounding the mortar was like the start of a new day.
Bandung Bondowoso was angry. He knew Loro Jonggrang just tricked him.

"You cannot fool me, Loro Jonggrang. I already have 999 temples. I just need one more temple. Now, I
will make you the one-thousandth temple!" said Bandung Bondowoso.
 With his supernatural power, Bandung Bondowoso made Loro Jonggrang a temple. Until now,
the temple is still standing in Prambanan area, Central Java. And the temple is named Loro
Jonggrang temple.

THE LEGEND of BANYUWANGI

A long time ago, the island of java was ruled by a king. The King had a Loyal Prime Minister
whose Sidapaksa's wife was beautiful. he loved her very much. But his mother did not like her.
One day,Sidapaksa's mother asked the King to send her son to a faraway place. She though
while his son was away, she had a chance to get rid of his wife. Of course, she did not tell the
King about it.

The King agreed with her. So he gave Sidapaksa a task. "Go to Mount Ijen. There grows a flower
that can keep a woman beautiful. Get the flower for the Queen," says the King.

Sidapaksa went home sadly. He told his wife about the task.
"I cannot leave you alone. Soon you will give birth to our child," Sidapaksa answered.

"Don't worry about me. I can take care of my self."

The next day, sidapaksa left for Mount Ijen. It was a long and hard journey.

A few days after Sidapaksa left, his wife gave birth to a handsome baby boy. She was very
proud of the baby.

One day, Sidapaksa's wife went to the spring. The wicked woman took the baby away. She
threw the baby to a river.

Sidapaksa's wife was shocked when she could not find her baby. "Where is my baby?" she cried.

She searched for her son. But she could not find him. Finally she fell sick because she did not
eat or After two years, Sidapaksa came home. He could not wait to see his wife
and child.

His mother saw him at the gate. She said to him,"My son, your wife is wicked woman. She killed
her own baby. She killed your son. She threw you son to the river."

Sidapaksa was very angry to hear it. He dit not believe in anything his wife said. He was very
angry that he would kill his wife.

Sadly his wife said, "I'm very sad because you dont believe me. You don't have to kill me.
Because I will die soon."
Then she ran to a river nearby. Before the current of the river took her away, she said, " my
dear husband, if the fragrant smell comes out of this river, then I'm innocent."
A miracle happened. From the river, there came out some fragrant smell. At the center of the
river came out two beautiful flowers. A big flower and a small one. The small flower said,
"Father, I'm your son. My mother is innocent. It was grandmother who threw me tothe river."

Sidapaksa cried loudly. He regreted what he had done to his wife. But it was too late. His wife
and child turned into two flowers.

The smelly and dirty river turned into clear and sweet smelled one. In javanese, It's called
banyuwangi. It means fragrant river. The land around the fragrant river is now known as
Banyuwangi, a town in East Java.
 THE LEGEND of TENGGER (BROMO)

Hundreds years ago, during the reign of the last king of Majapahit, Brawijaya, the situation was
so uncertain due to the expanding new religion, Islam. At the time, the queen gave birth a baby
girl and named her Roro Anteng, later the princess married Joko Seger, a Brahma Caste.

Since the influences of the new religion was so strong that it created chaos. The king and his
followers were forced to back off to the east, some of them reached Bali and some of them
reached a volcano.

The new married couple, Roro Anteng and Joko Seger were also found among the fugitives who
went to the volcano. Later they ruled the volcano area and named it Tengger. The word Tengger
was derived from Roro Anteng and Joko Seger. Then he surnamed himself the riffle of Purba
Wasesa Mangkurat Ing Tengger which means the righteous ruler of Tengger.

Years after year as the region flourished in prosperity, the King and Queen felt unhappy for
they had no children to succeed their throne. On their desperation, they decided to climb the
top of the volcano to pray and beseech before God, the Almighty. Deeply, impressed by the
faith of their meditation affected the murmuring sound of the crater lifted up miraculously
followed by a golden lightning that made the surrounding locked so scintillating. Their prayer
were heard the God and would give them children, but they should sacrifice their last child as
return. It was a promising future that could not be denied.

Not long after, the first baby boy was born and Roro Anteng named him Tumenggung Klewung.
Child after child was born during the years and it reached 25 in number to whom she gave the
named Kesuma for the last child.

Roro Anteng and Joko Seger were very happy ever since, love and affection were imparted
among their children. Happiness lingered on years after years, but a dull and sad feeling still
haunted them for their promise would be
claimed one day. They realized that they could not run from the fact, a bitter disappointment of
losing a child shot through their brains. The day came, the God reminded them of their promise
which could not be avoided.

As they felt how cruel it was to sacrifice their beloved child, they decided to break their promise
by not offering him to the God. They brought away their children in order to save their last child
from the offering. They tried to find a place to hide, however, they could not find away.
All of by sudden, the dreadful eruption of the volcano followed to where they went and
miraculously Kesuma, the last beloved child was swallowed into the crater. At the same time
when Kesuma disappeared from their sight, turbulent brawl diminished and strange silence for
a while but a sudden voice echoed: Hi, my beloved brothers and sisters. It was sacrificed to
appear before God Hyang Widi Wasa to save all of you. And what I expect be in a peace and live
prosperously. Don't forget to set mutual assistance among you and to worship God constantly
to arrange an offering ceremony annually on 14th of Kasada (the twelfth month of Tenggerese
calendar) by full moon. For the sake of your God. Hyang Widi Wasa.

Kesuma's Brothers and sisters held the offering ceremony annually just like what Kesuma
advised and it was held from generation to generation up to now.
 THE STORY of MALIN KUNDANG

A long time ago, there's old widow with her son, named Malin Kundang. They lived in a hut in
the
vilage near the sea. They were very poor.
Malin Kundang thought, "if I stay here, I won't have a better life. I have to leave this village
and look for a job."

His mother was sad to hear it. But she knew that Malin Kundang was right. So she let him go.

After her son had left, Malin Kundang's mother went to the beach every day. She hoped her son
would return soon. At night she would pray for her son's safety. She would ask the captain of
the ship whether he saw her son or not. But she got no news about Malin Kundang.

After years, when she was very old, a captain of a ship told her, "Malin Kundang? I met him
some month ago. He is now married to a beautiful girl. She is the daughter of a wealthy
man."

Malin Kundang's mother was very happy to hear it.

"Thank you, God!" she prayed. She was sure that Malin Kundang would return home one day.

One morning, a big beautiful ship docked. A young couple stood at the dock. They wore

Malin Kundang's mother cried joyfully. "Malin Kundang! My son! You are home!" she hugged
the young man.

Malin Kundang did not believe her. He thought,"This can't be my mother! She was a strong
woman when I left."

But his wife said angrily,"Why didn't you tell me that your mother is poor and old?" Then
she spitted on the old woman.

The old woman cried. She could not believe what she heard.
"Malin, I am your mother."

But Malin Kundang did not listen. He was embarrassed to have an old mother. So he kicked the
old woman yelled at her, "Go away, ugly woman. My mother does not look like you at all."

he woman fell on the ground. She cried. Then she prayed, “My dear God, if he really is my
son, punish him."

Suddenly, there was a thunderstorm. Big waves hit the shore with a loud noise. They hit
everything from big ships to coconut trees along the shore. The thunderstorm was a fierce one.

The storm stopped in the morning. But the villagers could see what the storm had done. Not far
from the shore, there were rocks that looked like wreckage and the passenger of a ship. People
believed that it was Malin Kundang's ship, and Malin Kundang changed into a coral reef. God
had punished him.

Moral message :

As a child, never forget all parents services especially a mother who already raise you, Don't
become a rebel. Insubordinate to the parents is a big sin that will be borne by your self.